Lucknow: Allahabad High Court challenged the UP Government refusing to undergo lockdown. Uttar Pradesh was asked to report to the Supreme Court within a week the steps it has taken and plans to take to tackle the Covid surge.
The Allahabad High Court had ordered a lockdown till April 26 in Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur. The Yogi Adityanath-led government refused to impose lockdown and approached the Supreme Court today morning.
After huge discussion, the UP government has finally announced a weekend lockdown commencing on Friday from 8pm until 7 am on Monday. The State Additional Chief Secretary Awanish K Awasthi declared the night curfew permitting only essential services to function.
“Corona curfew will remain in force from Friday night till Monday morning and it will be strictly observed. The CM has issued the order to impose night curfew in every district,” he said.
Earlier High Court highlighted the in capacitance of the medical infrastructure in cities like Prayagraj, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur and Gorakhpur. The court had also directed the state to restrict social gatherings, religious activities, shops and malls, and educational institutions.
UP in the past 24 hours recorded 17,066 new cases and 167 deaths in a single day.